Automatic and manual remote control fire extinguishing system



July 26, 1932. E 1,869,201

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL REMOTE CONTROL FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 11, 1925 4 S edshee 1 gb avwentoz [RNEST 'xi-lows 33% abhor/mu f Ji MAM;

E. A. .LOWE

July 26, 1932.

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL REMOTE CONTROL FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 11, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v alum/who; fRNEJT 410W:

E. A. LOWE July 26, 1932. l',869,201

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL REMOTE CONTROL FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM I Filed Nov. 11

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 lulual avwmtoz July 26, 1932. E. A. LOW E 1,869,201

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL REMOTE CONTROL FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM I Filed Nov. 11, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 J 116 14 J 1* 15a inward-lo s- M WWW I Patented July "26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST A. LOWE, F PLAINFIELID, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL REMOTE CONTROL FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEI Application filed November 11, 1925. Serial No. 68,283.

This invention relates to the art of fire extinguishing apparatus and is particularly applicable to the automatic dry-pipe system in which the fire extinguishing fluid is supplied to any of a number of protected fire sections or areas Whenever a fire condition occurs in such section or area.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide co-acting controls for the main supply pipe line and for the branch lines leading to the different sections so that on the occurrence of a fire condition in any section the water or other fire extinguishing in a state of rest but with sufficient latent, apower stored in the controlling mechanism to operate the controls instantly when necessity arises.

The invention contemplates further to provide for easily draining the pipe lines after i the apparatus has been used and to allow air to circulate within the'interior of the pipes to maintain them in a dry condition.-

The system herein disclosed possesses important advantages over those previous drypipe systems in which air pressure is maintained by compressors in the water distributing system and in which the main or master valve is held normally closed by s ich pressure until by a relief of pressure caused to take place in the fire area by a suitable control device, a relief of the pressure at the main or master valve is caused to take place whereby said master valve is caused to open thus allowing the Water to pass into the distributing pipe to be conducted thereby to the fire areas and there ejected. In thissystem valuable time is lost before the pressure of the Water flowing in the distributing system can force out the volume of air so as to be able to reach the sprinkler head or other outlet. Furthermore, as will be obvious, an air leak in the system may bring about aflooding of the distributing pipes and consequent damage through escape of the water at the point of leak or at other points Where there is a normally free outlet for escape thereof. Also said system requires the use of air compressors and motors therefor to maintain a predetermined minimum air pressure suitable for the intended operation.

A further advantage of my system over 55 that just referred to is that I avoid the difficulties due to the presence of moisture resulting from the cooling of the air after the compression and the consequently liability to the formation of ice in the pipes of the sys-- 7 tem, thus clogging the same.

In the modified form of dry system in which the main distributing pipe is kept at atmospheric pressure and a. supplemental control pipe is used for effecting the remote 7 control of the main valve by relief of pressure ,in said supplemental pipe, the same objections" are present, namely the liability or possibility of the premature opening of the main valve by a leakage in the control 30 pipe and the same necessity for use of 'an air compressor and motor together with expensive upkeep of the same. The disadvantages of both said dry-pipe systems in the respects described are entirely overcome 35 by my improved dry system in which there is no danger of premature operation from a leak of the air, no necessity for employing compressors or motors and no impairment of prompt operation through delay ensuing in the previous systems either from the I slow escape of the air under pressure in the main distributing pipe or in the remote control supplemental pipeor conductor.

Other advantages will be obvious to those skilled in the art and need not be here enlarged upon.

o Other and more specific objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Inthe drawings,

Fig. 1 represents more or less diagrammatically one embodiment of the invention as applied to a complete fire extinguishing system.

Fi 2 is a sectional view of one typeof supp y valve which may be employed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewof the subjectmatter shown in Fig. 2 Withthe valve moved to open position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one type of controlfor use at the discharge outlet of a pipe line. r Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the position the parts assume when operated.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a manually controlled. valve for automatically operatmg the main controlvalve.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through a ty e of differential control valve which may be employed in the system if desired.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of an independent manual control fora remote valve.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the system as applied to a plurality of fire sections or areas.

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail view of the type of secondary valves shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a similar detail view of the 1 main valve shown in Fig. 9.

Referring now to the details of the drawings there is disclosed in Fig. 1 the first form of my invention as applied to a plurality of fire sections. The main water supply pipe is indicated at 12 and connects with any desired number of risers or feed mains 14 (one such riser being shown in Fig. 1) leading away from the main valve head 15. It is pre- ,ferred to provide a manual control valve 16 so that the supply of fire extinguishing fluid, water for example; may be manually shut off when desired, as during resettin ofeapparatus. sure gauge indicated at 17 may likewise be installed on the water main adjacent its con.- nection at the head 15 to indicate the. available water pressure. From the risers 14 the required number of branch lines 18 and 19 extend into the different fire areas to insure a supply of water to all parts of the structure protected by the system. In order to maintain the pipe lines including the risers and branch lines normally dry and subjected to atmospheric pressure I have employed a main control valve within the head 15 constructed for automatic operation and positioned in any desired location, where it may be protected from the cold or other hai'mfulinfiuences. The risers andbranch .lines may therefore be installed in any unheated building without danger of the pipe becoming frozen in extreme weather. In order to concentrate the supply of water in the location where a fire had occurred the branchlines leading to the various fire sections are normally maintained closed by the For the sake of safety t e pres' opening 27 valves or other closures 20 and 21 hereafter being referred to as secondary valves and being fpositioned adjacent the discharge outlets o the branch lines.

The main valve 15 and any desired number of secondary valves or closures 20 are con-- sections or areas. The conduits 22,23 and 24 are formed of tubing and are normally subjected to atmospheric pressure by providing a restricted leak or impedance 33 which is suflic-iently large to maintain the interior of the conduit at substantially atmospheric pressure but which is ineffective to relieve the pneumatic impulse utilized for operating the valve 15 as hereinafter fully described. Positioned at various points along the branch conduits 23 and 24 and branch lines 18, 19 are a number of temperature responsive mechanisms for opening the secondary valves and creating an impulse within the conduits 22, 23 and 24 to operate the main control valve upon the occurrence of a fire condition in the fire sections where such temperature responsive devices are located. The preferred forms of iinpulse creating and impulse receiving. mechanisms are fully described below.

The main control valve 15 is constructed as shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. The valve casing includes the water inlet 25 and outlet 26 the former being connected to the water main 12 and the latter to the risers 14. Positioned between the inlet and outlet is an which accommodates the operating support 28 for the valve closure 29. This closure is constructed to control the inlet 25 and also the opening 27 so that when the closure is, moved away from the valve seat 30 of the inlet it is moved into engagement with the valve seat 31 of the opening 27 to close the interior of the head 15 and to permit the passage of water from the water main to the risers. This position of the valve closure is shown in Fig. 3. The opening '27 serves a further important function of permitting the system to be automatically drained when the main valve-is closed and also of permitting the circulation of air within the supply pipes extending to and into the from the main control valve 15 and. connected with branch conduits 23 and 24 Y which branch conduits lead to the various fire 23 or-24 and 22. In the form of the invention disclosed the pneumatic impulse is utilized to expand a partially collapsed bellows 36 to move the operating element 38 thereof outwardly. In order to insure instant and the valve. To this end the valve controlling mechanism includes a weighted lever 40 pivotally supported as at 41 and which is normally retained in raised position (but in a condition of unstable equilibrium) by means of a detentor latch 42. The latch 42 has one end 43 thereof engaged against the weighted 1 lever 40 and the other end 44 positioned to be engaged by the movable element 38 of the bellows 36. The locking lver 46, shown as pivotally supported at 47 on the supporting structure 34, includes a locking lug 48 and an operating extension 50. The extension 50 is positioned to be engaged by the weighted portion of the lever 40 vvh'en the latter swings downwardly due to the force of gravity. A valve control lever 52 is pivotally supported fromthe valve head as by means of the bracket 53 and includes a locking extension 54 constructed to engage the lug 48 and an adjustable set screw or stop member 56 which engages the operating rod 28 of the valve to hold the latter normally in closed position against the valve seat 30. The ad-' justable stop member 56 permits the valve closure 29 to be accurately closed when the .lugs 48 and 54 are in engagement.

By this construction it will be seen that upon a pneumatic impulse being transmitted through a conduit 22, 23 or 24 to the bellows 36 the member 38 is moved against one arm 44 of the latch 42 to release the weighted lever 40 which thereupon falls by gravity against the operating extension 50 of the retaining lever '46 releasing the latter from engagement with the control lever 52, thereby permitting the valve closure 29 to move from closed to open position, that is, from the valve seat 30 to the valve seat 31 to permit the passage of the fire extinguishing fluid from the water mains toward the discharge outlets.

Referring now to the preferred form of mechanism forcreating the valve operating impulse, there is shown in Fig. 4 one form of automatically controlled combined discharge outlet and impulse creating mechanism which may beemployedn This mechanism includes a collapsible bellows 58 normally held in expanded position by means of the toggle levers 60 having one pair of arms thereof engaging above and below the bel lows, the other ends, herein termed the jaws, being normally held spaced by means of the coacting levers 62 which engage against one another and against the interior of the jaws 61. The levers 62 are normally prevented from separating to permit the collapse of the bellows 58 by a temperature responsive structure shown as a fusible element 64 connecting the outer or free ends of the levers 62. According to this form of the invention the discharge outlets 63 ofthe branch lines 19a are normally closed by means of the :lis-

placeable closures 65 held in place by the levers 62 coincfdently with the spreading of the lever 60. The jaws 61 of levers 60 are positioned between the closure 65 and the adjustable set screw 67 carried by the sprinkler head 63a. The spring member 66 shown as positioned within the bellows 58 is normally undertension and when the levers 62 and 60 are released by reason of fusion of the element 64 or otherwise the bellows is collapsed by means of the spring 66 permitting the displacement of the closure 65 and creating the pneumatic impulse in the conduit 24 required for operation of the bellows 36 and valve mechanism 15. The position of the parts upon a release of the levers 62 as by reason of the element 64 being fused upon the occurrence of a fire condition is shown in Fig. 5. The fluid discharged from the outlet 63 may be caused 'to assume the form of a spray by means of any preferred form of sprinkler head'63a.

Fig. 6 shows another type of operator which combines the manual and automatic control for the water supply. According to this form of the invention the branch line'106 or 19b is normally closed by means of the movable valve closure 68 which may be held against the valve seat 69 by means of the hand lever 70 and screw-threaded shank 71. The shank 71 carries abutment members 72 positioned to engage above and below one end of the lever 74 so that as the shank is screwed upwardly the lever is rocked on its pivot. head 76 positioned to engage the normally expanded bellows 7 8 utilized to create the valve operating impulse in the conduit 23.

. The bellows 78 is normally held in expanded posit on by means of a relatively small expansion spring 79. It is considered desirable to store a certain supply of power in the arm 83 so that it will be unfailing in operating the bellows 78. To this end there is disclosed a snap spring construction including a rela-- tively strong spring 80 one end of which is supported from the collar 81 rotatably mounted upon the shank 71, the other end of the'spring being connected to the free end of the arm 82 keyed for rotative movement with the lever yl fgfl the arm 82 being placed beyond a side edge of the valve housing to permit its rotative movements. By means of this construction it will be seen that upon the valve closure 68 being manually moved a certain distance away from the valve seat The lever 74 includes the operating 69 the control arm 74 Will be rocked counterclockwise beyond the center with relation to the spring 80 which spring will exert a snap action causing the head 7 6 to engage the bellows -7 8 to create the impulse in the conduit 23 necessary to open the main control valve '15. This type of control is particularly useful with a manually manipulated fire extinguishing apparatus, for example the hose 106, althoughit may be used with the dlscharge apparatus 19b shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a type of differential valve for controlling either the main or branch linesf According to this construction the valve head 85 includes the water inlet 86 normally closed with respect to the water outlet 88 by means of the valve closure 89 and valve seat 87. The valve closure 89 is constructed to be maintained in closed position by means of the water pressure in the inlet 86. To this end a relatively large supplemental valve closure 90 is constructed to be moved with the closure 89 and to seat against the valve seat 91 when the closure 89 is in closedposition. The valve head 85 includes a restricted passage or bypass 92 around the valve closure 89 and leading from the inlet 86 to the differential chamber 94 to create a force on the back side of the valve head 90 greater than the force on the face of the relatively smaller-valve closure 89 thereby maintaining the valve closure 89 normally in engagement with the valve seat '87. This valve mechanism is controlled similarly to that described above in that a pneumatic impulse produced by any of the devices disclosed herein and transmittedthrough the conduit 22a causes the valve 89 "to be opened and to be retained open until manually released and reset. To this end the bellows 96 which is v normally maintained in partially collapsed condition by spring or other means is operatively associated with a, detent 98 which in turn engages beneath a weighted lever 99 to retain the latter in raised position. The outlet from the chamber 94 is controlled by means of a spring-pressed compressible mechanism The-member 100 may be depressed and retained in that position by means of the weighted lever 99 upon the occurrence of an expanding impulse in the bellows 96. The restricted pas'sage 92 being smaller than the escape passage 102 the escape of pressure from chamber 94 reduces the differential pressure on valve clapper 90 and the water pres- I sure is permitted to open valve 89 thus producing a flow of water to the fluid distributing pipes.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a simple type of manualcontrol so that the main supply valve may be operated independently of any of the above controls. The construction includes a lever 108 pivoted at 109 to an extension of the conduit support 110. The lever is connected as at 111 to a, movable portion of the bellows 112 and terminates in an operating handle 114. It will be obvious that by this means the bellows 112 may be manually compressed to create an impulse in the conduit 23 to operate the control valve, for example, that shown at 15 in Fig. 1'.

According to the above described construction it will be seen that there are provided a series of fire extinguishing pipes normally maintained closed adjacent the source of fluid supply and also at points adjacent the discharge outlets. Upon the occurrence of a fire condition the temperature responsive control mechanism operates to open the discharge outlet and simultaneously to open the main control valve permitting the fire extinguishing fluid to enter the pipelines and to pass from the discharge outlets. If desired the discharge outlets and main valve maybe manually controlled or if preferred the main valve may be manually controlled from a position remote therefrom and the discharge outlets controlled as ,by means of any usual type of manual or automatic valve. 7

iUnder certain conditions as where the source of water'supply is relatively remote from the protected fire sections or areas, it is preferred to have the impulse created in the fire section operate the secondary or supplemental valves only and to create anew at the supplemental valves the impulse for opening the main control valve. In this-way any desired number of main and control valves may be used without danger of failure of'the impulse to operate the various valves nece ssary to permit discharge of the water.

This apparatus is constructed as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

In Fig. 9 there'is disclosed a fire extinguishing system shown as applied to a building lines, a sufiicient number of which are provided to adequately protect the same against fire. It is preferred to close all of the branch lines with respect to the feed mains so that upon the occurrence of a fire condition in any one location the pipe lines in that location only will be supplied with fire extinguishing fluid. To this end a plurality of secondary" control valves 116 are positioned between the feed mains and the discharge outlets of the cludes a normally expanded bellows formed with a tensioned spring or weight tending when released to collapse the bellows to create an impulse in the conducting conduit to oper-' ate the valve. The impulse creating bellows will normally be held in expanded condition by means of fusible elements as shown in Fig. 4 so that upon the occurrence of a fire condition the element isfused and the bellows collapsed to create the impulse which moves go forward to operate the corresponding valve .116. The impulses from the mechanisms 118 to the valves 116 are carried through the conduits 119 and operate the bellows 120 to con-.

trol the valve as described below.

The control elements of the valve 116 are substantially identical with the impulse operated valve shown in Figs. 2 and 3 except that means is provided for relaying the impulse from the valve 116 through the conduit 122 i 30 to the main valve. This may be accomplished by placing a normally expanded bellows 124 in position to be contracted by means of the weighted lever 40a when the latter is released to open the valve 116. By this construction it will be seen that a new impulse for operating the main valve is created substantially simultaneously with the opening of a second: ary or supplemental valve 116 and that the power stored in the weighted lever 40a insures a relay of the impulse to the main valve 15a.

In Fig. 9 there is shown a second series of branch lines 126 connected to directly operate the main control valve 15a. The temperature responsive mechanisms 128 shown in this figure may, for example, be constructed as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 or they may be manually controlled as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6.

The main control valve 15a is shown in Fig. 11 and is identical in construction with that shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 10 except that means is provided for controlling the valve operating weighted lever 40b either from the said main control valve to release the fire extinguishing fluid into the distributing pipes. The number of such conduits may obviously be multiplied as desired.

According to the above described construction there is provided a complete fire extinguishing system wherein the fire extinguishing fluid is made available to extinguish a fire in any of'a number of fire sections or areas but in which the fluid is automatically supplied only to sucharea or areas as are actually subjected to a fire condition. The

controlling mechanism for the main and supplemental valve closures is normally in a state of rest but each of the operating mechanisms is provided with a supply of latent energy which is easily'released and which operates uniformly to admit the fluid supply. It is obvious that other forms of latent energy, as well as releasing and conducting mechanism may be employed without departing from the spiritof the invention.

The fluid supply may have any number of automatic and manual controls which may be operated without influencing any of the other controls. The relay, type of control disclosed in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 assures a suflicieptly strong impulse to be transmitted to the main valve to operate the same. If the main valve is to be placed a great distance from the secondary Valves or if the secondary valves are placed a great distance away from the automatic impulse creating v mechanism located in the fire section, it is obvious that additional impulse transmitting relays may be installed at any desired point or points along the conduits22, 23, 24, '119, 122, etc.

The main control valve may accordingly be located any desired distance from the fire areas and may be placed where the water pipe will not be subjected to freezing condi.- tions. Since the supply pipes for the fire areas are normally dry they may be placed in unheated buildings without danger of the water freezing therein.

Furthermore since both the water pipes and the impulse conducting conduits are normally subjected to atmospheric conditions the system responds quickly and without the necessity of relieving any additional pressure from the pipe lines. This feature also avoids the necessity of constant upkeep expense for compressors etc. and avoids the possibility of the water being prematurely admitted to the pipe lines through failure of the restraining pressure usually employed.

From the foregoing'it will be obvious that in the case of air or other fluid control the.

system operates essentially by producing a difference of. pressure or tension in the air pipe andthat instead of acting by increase the devices might be actuated through decrease of the normal pressure in the controlled pipe. In other ,words, instead of working the system by'plenum as described it might operate by exhaust or vacuum.

While I have shown certain specific forms of my invention it is to be understood that these are'merely illustrative of the invention, the scope of which is to be ascertained from the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a dry-pipe fire extinguishing system, a source of fire. extinguishing fluid, control mechanism therefor, means for conducting said fluid to a fire section, means for transmitting control impulses from said fire section to said control mechanism, and means comprising a contractible chamber and means for contracting the same for creating sections, a main valve for said main supply pipe and secondary valves for said branch pipes, -means responsive to pneumatic irn-' pulses for operating a relatively sudden pneumatic impulse in said transmitting means to operate said control mechanism. a

2. A fire extinguishing apparatus including a supply pipe, control mechanism for controlling the admission of fire extinguishing.

fluid to said pipe and including a control valve, means for controlling said control mechanism, and including a pressure responsive device operativel associated with said valve, a pressure pro ucing device in a fire area and a pneumatically controlled pressure relaying mechanism intermediate said pressure responsive and pressure produclng devices for building up and transmitting a renewed pressure to said pressure responsive device, and conduits for conveying pressures from said pressure producing device to said relaying mechanism and from .said relaying mechanism to said pressure responsive device.

3. In a dry-pipe fire extinguishing system, the combination of a supply pipe normally dry, a pneumatically controlled valve controlling the admission of the fire extinguishixlpg fluid to said supply pipe, branch pipes f om said supply pipe, each having a secondary control valve normally closed, pneuatically controlled means for causing said secondary valve to open and means operated by the secondary control valve mechanism for transmitting a pneumatic impulse to the main valve to cause the latter to open when the secondary valve is opened.

4;. In a dry-pipe fire extinguishing system, a main supply pipe, branch pipes extending from said main pipe to a plurality of fire said valves, temperature responsive means or creating a pneumatic impulse to operate a secondary valve, and means controlled by said temperature responsive means for creating a pneumatic impulse to operate said main valve. I v

5. In a dry-pipe fire extinguishing system,

' a main supply pipe, branch pipes extending from said main pipe to a plurality of fire sections, a main valve for said main supply pipe and secondary valves for said branch pipes, means responsive to pneumatic impulses for operating said valves, temperature responsive means for providing pneumatic impulses to operate said secondary valves, means controlled by said temperature responslve means for creatinga pneumatic impulse to operate said main valve and independently act ng temperature responsive means for operating controlling said fluid, pneumatically controlled mechanism for actuatin said. valve,

mechanical devices in communication with said mechanism for creating a pneumatic im pulse, normally inactive means for actuating said impulse creating devices and temperature responsive means for rendering said last named means active.

' 7. In a dry-pipe fire'extinguishing system,

the combination with a main valve normally closed, a supplemental air conduit containing air at atmospheric pressure and extending from the main valve to a fire area and provided with means for compensating for atmospheric changes of temperature to maintain. aninterior pressure at alltimes which is substantially that of the atmosphere, a collapsible element at the fire area capable of being collapsed and producing av pneumatic impulse in said-conduit.and means at the main valve, responsive to said pneumatic impulse, forproducing a hammer blow at said main valve for causing the same to be opened.

8. In a dry-pipe fire extinguishing system, the combination with a control valve for admitting a fire extinguishing fluid to said pipes, of a supplemental control conduit conchanges of temperature of the surrounding air, a bellows device connected to said conduit and normally expanded, means at the fire area for causing said bellows to suddenly contract, means for normally holding the control valve closed, mechanism for releasing said valve and a pneumatically actu-z ated expansible device connected to the supplemental conduit at the control valve for supplying-force for actuating said releasing mechanism and responsive to the pneumatic impulse producedby the contraction of the bellows device in the fire area.

9. In a fire extinguishing system,'a fluid supply pipe containing air at atmospheric pressure, a fluid supply valve therefor, a remote control for said valve, said controlineluding an impulse creatin mechanism and an impulse conducting con uit, said impulse creating mechanism comprising a detent controlled, normally dormant or uncharged, power supply apparatus, and temperature responsive means to release said detent for the purpose of creating said impulse.

10. In a fire extinguishing system, a fluid supply pipe, a fluid supply valve therefor, a remote control for said va1ve,-said control including a pneumatic impulse ,creating mechanism and a pneumatic impulse conducting conduit operatively associated therewith and with said valve, said mechanism comprising a supply of stored mechanical power, and a releasable detent for releasably restraining said mechanical power.

11. In a device of the character described, including a supply pipe, a closure for said pipe, means for normally retaining said closure in closed position with respect to said pipe, temperature responsive means for releasing said closure and means including a supply of latent energy for creating a pneumatic impulse upon the release of said closure.

12. In a fireextinguishing system including a supply pipe, a distributing pipe and an impulse conducting conduit, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid in said distributing pipe, means including manually operated mechanism for opening said valve, a main valve forsaid supply pipe operatively associated with said conduit to produce a flow of the fire extinguishing medium to said first named valve, and means operative upon the opening of said first named valve for creating an impulse in said conduit to operate said main valve. v I

13. In a fire extinguisher, release mechanism therefor, pneumatically operated means for actuating said release mechanism and a pneumatic pressure producing device pneumatically connected therewith and comprising a spring-actuated detent-controlled collapsible container and means responsive to temperature increase in a fire zone controlling said detent. I

14. In a fire extinguishing system, means for supplying a fire extinguishing fluid under pressure to said system, release mechanism for said supply means and operated by a pneumatic impulse, distributing'piping for conveying said fire extinguishing medium to a fire zone normally maintained dry and at substantially atmospheric pressure, a normally closed outlet therefor, and heat-responsive means for opening said outlet and coincidently creating a pneumatic'impulse for releasing said release mechanism..

15. A fire extinguisher operating device including pressure responsive release mechamsm, air compressmg'means, means to normally maintain said a r compressing means inactive, means to conduct compressed air from the com .ressing means to said pressure responsive re ease mechamsm,-and temperature responsive means to render active the mechanism.

said means which retains the air compressing means inactive.

16. In a fire extinguishing system for a plurality of fire zones, a source of supply for fire extinguishing fluid, distributing pipes for distributing said fluid to the various fire zones, means for cont-rollin of fluid from said source 0 supply to said the admission pipes, actuating means for said controlling means and including a plurality of units each formed with a pressure producing device and a pressure responsive device and supplemental tubing connecting said devices, the pressure responsive devices of each of said units including an element actuated by said pressure responsive device and independently of the other pressure responsive devices for actuatin said controlling means.

17. In a plurality offire zones, a source of fire ex tinguishing fluid supply, distributingpiping for conducting said fluid to the various zones,

outlets for said piping in said fire zones, a main control mechanism for said fluid supply including a release lever, a plurality of control units,'each unit comprising-a temperature responslve element 1n a fire zone and a re extinguishingsystem for a lease the release lever of said main control 18. In fire extinguishing system for a plurality of fire zones, a source of supplyjor Y fire extinguishing fluid, distributing pipes" for distributing said fluid to said zones, 7 a main valve for controlling the admission of fluid from said source of supply to said pipes, temperature responsive mechanism for releasing said main valve, said mechanism including a plurality of units each formed with a heat responsive pneumatio impulse producing element in a fire zone and an impulse responsive element and supplemental tubing connecting said elements and means responsive to the actuation of the pneumatic impulse responsive element of any of said units for opening said main valve. 1

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 10th day of November, A. D.'1925.

ERNEST A. LOWE. 

